Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, has clarified that the federal government will not reimburse
state governors who took over reconstruction of federal roads in their state.
CANDID REPORTERS recalls that the Deputy speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin kalu during the All Progressives Congress (APC) Abia state Congress held in Umuahia recently, he insinuated that the federal government is funding the reconstruction of federal roads in Abia hence state government will be reimbursed by the federal government and President Tinubu should be given the credit for the reconstructed roads and Omenokor bridge newly reconstructed and commissioned by the administration of Governor Alex Otti.
Governor Otti during the monthly media interaction held on Friday faulted the claims by revealing that the policy of the federal ministry of works outlined that the state governor should set up toll gates for revenue collection if they need reimbursement for reconstruction of federal roads. He also added that his administration took over the road because the federal roads in Abia State are being used by the people of Abia.
In his words: “The reason we do that is because the federal government does not use any road here, so whether they are called state roads or local government roads, it’s our people that use them.
“The letter from the ministry of works specified that if you need to collect your money back, the only way is to toll the roads, so, reimbursement is out of it.” Governor said.
Responding to why separate contractors are working on the road, Governor Otti clarified that the second contractor on the road obviously wants to complete the part of the road ceeded to them by the federal government.
“Before we jumped on any federal road, we had a long engagement with the federal government. Those roads must be seeded to us in writing . So if you have one part of the road being done by another contractor, it means the federal government wants that contractor to complete that part of the job. The bigger part is the one that is ceeded to Abia state government.” Governor Otti said.
On the question if the affected property owners will be compensated before the road reconstruction, governor Otti said his government always pays compensation but by his understanding on the Umuahia Ikot-ekpene road, “if there’s any compensation to be paid, the federal government would have done so because the road was awarded but not funded.”
The massive road reconstruction in Abia State by governor Otti has drawn the attention of critics from opposition parties as he embarked on infrastructural development which comprises state and federal roads such as the popular Port Harcourt road contracted to Julius Berger and the reconstruction of the Omenakor bridge in Arochukwu LGA.
The bridge spans the Igwu River and connects Abam and Arochukwu communities, and investigation revealed that reconstruction has improved transportation and economic activities in the region.
Reports revealed that the Omenokor Bridge in Abia State, Nigeria, has been a notorious death trap for many years.
The bridge was reported to be previously notorious for accidents, including a 2007 incident where 17 school children died when a bus plunged into the river.
A popular clergy, Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai lost his Childrenl: Two of his children drowned in the river in 1985.
In 2024 Incident, eight Christmas travellers lost their lives in a fatal crash at the bridge. Multiple accidents and fatalities have occurred at the bridge, including a 2023 incident where a container-laden truck crashed into a bus and tricycle, killing four people.
The bridge has since been reconstructed and reopened, aiming to improve safety and reduce accidents.
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